Earring clamp



W. C. ADAMS Aug. 2, 1960 EARRING CLAMP Filed May 7, 195a INVENTOR.

WALLACE C. ADAMS ATTORNEY United States Patent EARRING CLAMP Filed May 7, 1958, Ser. No. 733,704

' 2 Claims. (or 24-24 My present invention relates to the jewelry art and more particularly to a novel construction of an earring clamp.

The. principal object of the present inventionisto provide an earring clamp of the ratchet type which permits releasably locking the clamp in adjusted position.

Anotherobject of the present invention is to provide a ratchet type earring clamp having -a minimum numberof .parts.

A further'object of the present invention is to provide aratchet type earring clamp which is easy and economical to manufacture and assemble.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features"inview,.my invention consists -of a novel arrangement'of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of an earring clamp embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view showing the parts of the clamp.

Certain types of earring clamps are formed by providing two members in pivoted relation to each other. The earring ornament is secured by solder or other means to one member and the other member is urged by spring means against the back of the ornament to clamp the ear lobe. This type of clamp has been modified to provide a ratchet construction in conjunction with the spring so that the clamping arm could be pushed into clamping position and will then resist opening movement and loss of the earring. It has been found that these ratchets are subject to considerable wear and are usually more expensive to manufacture. The teeth of the ratchet wear out and the clamping action is lost. Thus elaborate and expensive ratchet clamps are only used on fine jewelry.

The present invention is designed to provide a ratchet type clamp which will retain a firm clamping action over long periods of time and which is simple and easy to manufacture and assemble on automatic presses so that the clamps can be used on cheaper types of mass produced costume jewelry.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the clamp of the present invention comprises two clamping members and 11 pivotally locked to each other, the earring ornament, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, being normally attached to the outside of the clamping member 1 1 and the ear lobe being caught between the free ends of the clamping members 10 and 11. The clamping member 10 forms a base. It comprises a flat disc portion 12 having a clamping arm 13 extending inteice 2 is at right angles to the plane of the disc portion 12 as shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the disc portion 12 isprovided with a central depressed portion 15 which forms a central recess. The surface of the disc portion 12 surrounding the central recess is provided with teeth 16 pressed or cut into the surface and extending radially from the depressed portion 15. Three arms orlugs 17 extend integrally at equally spaced distances from the edge of the disc 12. Each arm or lug v17 extends outwardly a short distance from the'edgeof the disc and is then bent to form an intermediate straight portion 18 terminating in a bent end '19 asshown in Fig. 4.

The complementary clamping member 11 also comprises an annular disc portion 20 having a clamping arm 21 extending integrally from the side edge. It will be noted that the clamping arm 21 extends radially and is then curved as shown in Fig. :2 to present a straight end in a line spaced from the disc 20. The outer end 22 is also enlarged and twisted in a plane at right angles to the plane of the disc 20. The bent arm 21 permits the depending ornament to clear the pivoted disc portions. The disc portion 20 is also provided with a central depressed portion 23 complementary to the depressed portion 15 of the member 10 so that the depressed portion 23'will fit into the depressed portion 15. The surface of the disc'20 is provided with ratchet-teeth 24 extending radially from the depressed portion 23 on the side facing the teeth 16 on the member 10 as shown in Fig. 4.

In assembly the member 11 is moved into the member 10 so that the depressed portion 23 nests within the depressed portion 15 and the arm 21 extends radially between two of the lugs 17 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be noted that the overall diameter of the disc portion 12 of the member 10 is slightly greater than the overall diameter of the disc portion 20 of the member 11. The parts are now locked together by turning the lugs or arms 17 inwardly into clamping position so that the teeth 24 mesh with the teeth16. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that when the arms 17 are swung into locking position the straight portions 18' will extend across the intermediate portion 25 of the disc 20 without touching it and that the bent ends 19 will extend into the depressed portion 23 to hold the members together. The locking pressure is therefore solely at the depressed portions which form a pivot for the disc portions 12 and 2d. The intermediate portion 25 of the disc 20, being free of the clamping action has an inherent resiliency which acts as a stifi. spring so that when the clamping members 10 and 11 are pivoted into open or closed position with respect to each other, the ratchet teeth will slide and snap by under the action of the spring tension of the portion 25. The applicant has found that without this action turning movement is resisted and the teeth gn'nd each other down very rapidly. By providing the clamping action at the pivot only the metal in the portion 25 will give suificiently to permit a true ratchet or snap action between the teeth 24 and 16.

The parts of the clamp have thus been reduced to a and a single multiple tool can readily. stamp and assemble the entire clamp so that no further assembly operations are needed. It will be noted that the arm 20 is limited in its movement to one third of the circumference between the adjacent lugs 17. This will prevent displacement in the wrong direction. When the device is clamped to the ear the ends 14' and 22 are pressed towards each other with the ear lobe between them until a comfortable positive clamping action is obtained. The ratchet construction will hold the clamp in this position until the wearer pulls them apart against the spring action of the portion 25. The ornament can be soldered or riveted to the end 22 of the arm 21. In addition the arm 21 can be pierced to suspend the ornament from an intermediate portion if desired. The ends of the lugs 17 may engage the disc portion 25 instead of the depressed portion 23 if desired. This will operateas before .but with a stiffer spring action. Other advantages .of :the present invention will be readily apparent to :a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. .An earring clamp comprising a fiat annular disc member, a clamping arm extending integrally from the edge of said disc member, a second flat annular disc member, a clamping arm extending integrally from the edge of .said second disc member, said disc members being axially aligned in face to face relation, said disc members having radially extending teeth on their opposed faces to provide a ratchet action, said disc members each having a central depressed portion forming a protuberance on the opposite face, the protuberant portion of one disc nesting within the depressed portion of the other disc, and means for pivotally locking said disc members in face to face relation whereby relative rotation of said disc members will cause said clamping arms to move toward or away from each other, said locking means comprising a plurality'of spaced integral lugs extending from the edge of one disc member and bent over to engage the depressed portion of the other disc member.

2. An earring clamp comprising a flat annular disc member, a clamping arm extending integrally from the edge of said disc member, a second flat annular disc member, a clamping arm extending integrally from the 4 edge of said second disc member, each of said clamping arms having enlarged ends twisted at right angles to the plane of said discs, said disc members being axially aligned in face to face relation, said disc members having radially extending teeth on their opposed faces to provide a ratchet action, said disc members each having a central depressed portion forming a protuberance on the opposite face, the protuberant portion of one disc nesting within the depressed portion of the other disc, and means for pivotally locking said disc members in face to face relation whereby relative rotation of said disc members will cause said clamping arms to move toward or away from each other, said locking means comprising a plurality of spaced integral lugs extending from the edge of one disc member and bent over to engage the depressed portion of the other disc member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 724,403 Stuart, Mar. 31, 1903 870,330 Wilde Nov. 5, 1907 1,192,198 Hix July 25, 1916 1,393,689 La Gier Oct. 11, 1921 1,661,873 Buxbaum Mar. 6, 1928 1,938,592 Hothersall Dec. 12, 1933 2,235,976 vBest Mar. 25, 1941 2,303,267 Goodwin June 27, 1941 2,351,925 Chernow June 20, 1944 2,373,380 Cameron Apr. 10, 1945 2,708,128 Arzt May 10, 1955 2,791,359 Wigert May 7, 1957 

